Strawberry plant Smadar

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of strawberry (Fragaria L.) called &#34;Smadar&#34; is disclosed. The variety is a cross between &#34;Rachel&#34; and &#34;Dover A&#34;, which results in a variety that flowers several months earlier than other known strawberry varieties.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/490,102, filed Mar. 6.1990, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry (Fragaria L.) called "Smadar". The variety was developed froman organized scientifically designated breeding program carried out atthe Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan,Israel. The variety is the product of selection of seedlings resultingfrom crosses between the strawberry varieties "Rachel" and "Dover A".The variety was asexually vegetatively propagated through runners andthe reproduction ran true.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety "Smadar" resembles the variety "Dover A" is able to growin September and produce fruit starting in November and lasting untilsummer. The production of fruit beginning in November is two monthsearlier than any known variety of Fragaria L. The fruit of the "Smadar"variety is characterized by good taste, good shape and size as well as along shelf life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1--Photograph of the "Smadar" variety illustrating the foliage andfruit.

FIG. 2--Photograph of the "Smadar" variety illustrating the fruit.

FIG. 3--Photograph of the "Smadar" variety illustrating the entire plantwith both flowers and fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The "Smadar" variety was grown in winter under polyethylene tunnels inIsrael. "Smadar" is a short day variety that flowers earlier than otherknown and available short day length strawberry varieties. Flowering andfruit production is not affected by the use of polyethylene windtunnels. This production procedure is utilized in normal agriculturalpractices by the skilled artisan and does not involve temperature orlight control. Mother plants were stored at 0° C. from January throughApril. They were then planted in the nursery without further treatment.Runners with plantlets were produced during summer. These youngplantlets were collected from the nursery in September and transferredto raised beds. Average temperatures at that time of the year are 30° C.during the day and 22° C. at night. Water and fertilizers were appliedthrough drip irrigation. An example of an optimum planting date isbetween Sep. 15th to the 20th with the approximate date of flowering onOct. 27, and the approximate date of first fruiting on Nov. 27. "Smadar"flowering is not induced by chilling, but by natural exposure to shortday length (long nights) characteristic of late fall and early winter.Color readings described herein were taken under natural lightconditions and color identifications were made by reference to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.) except where commonterms of color definition are employed.

The pertinent characteristics of the present invention are presented inTable 1 and Table 2. Additionally, the variety "Smadar" (1) has notendency toward fruit malformation; (2) disease resistance appearsnormal in that no particular problematic conditions arose during trials;and (3) the type of bearing is not remontant (e.g., "Smadar" bloomsperpetuously, during late fall and winter).

The fruit is as long as broad, with primary, secondary and tertiaryfruit possessing a slight difference in shape (Table 2). The fruit isfirm with a red color (Table 2).

The variety "Smadar" flowers several months earlier than knownstrawberry varieties. One of the closest known varieties would be"Karina" (Table 1) as well as the new varieties under co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. Nos. 07/735,969 ("Sharon"), 07/735,695("Shalom"), 07/735,968 ("Dorit"), and 07/735,970 ("Saaid").Additionally, early flowering results in early fruit production for"Smadar" and the four copending varieties (Table 3). Total SolubleSolids (TSS), percent acidity and aroma are presented in Table 4 bycomparison to the varieties listed in Table 3.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF "SMADAR"                                             MORPHOLOGICAL               COMPARABLE                                        TRAIT         DESCRIPTION.sup.a                                                                           VARIETY.sup.b                                     ______________________________________                                        Classification                                                                              Botanical-                                                                    Fragaria L.                                                     Plant habit   Flat-Globose  "Senagana"                                        Plant density Dense         "Talisman"                                        Plant vigor   Strong        "Grande"                                          Leaf:                                                                         a)  Length        17-18 cm                                                    b)  Width         11-13 cm                                                    c)  Color         Green Group 146 A                                                             (RHSCC)                                                     1)    Upper Side: Dark                                                        d)  Blistering    Medium                                                      e)  Cross-section Concave                                                     f)  # of leaflets Sometimes >3                                                Terminal leaflet                                                              a)  Length/Width  Longer than broad                                               ratio                                                                     b)  Shape of base Obtuse                                                      c)  Shape of teeth                                                                              Rounded                                                     d)  Length        6-7 cm                                                      e)  Width         4-6 cm                                                      Flower                                                                        a)  Size          Medium        "Gorella"                                     b)  Size of calyx to                                                                            Smaller to small                                                corolla       size                                                        c)  Size of inner calyx                                                                         Same size                                                       versus outer calyx                                                        d)  Spacing of petals                                                                           Overlapping                                                 e)  Petal length/width                                                                          Longer than broad                                           f)  Time of flowering                                                                           Very early to "Karina".sup.c                                                  Early                                                       Stolon                                                                        a)  Number        Medium to Many                                              b)  Thickness     Thin to Medium                                              c)  Pubescence    Medium                                                      d)  Anthocyanin   Strong                                                          coloration                                                                Petiole                                                                       a)  Pose of hairs Outwards                                                    b)  Length        9-11 cm                                                     Inflorescence                                                                 a)  Position relative                                                                           Level                                                           to foliage                                                                ______________________________________                                         .sup.a The description of "Smadar" is based on the test guidelines for        Fragaria L. of the International Union for the Protection of New Plant        Varieties, (UPOV).                                                            .sup.b Only characteristics which are relevant for comparing varieties ar     listed.                                                                       .sup.c "Smadar" flowers at the end of October. One of the earliest known      varieties for comparison is "Karina", which flowers in January.          

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF "SMADAR"                                             CHARACTERISTIC      DESCRIPTION                                               ______________________________________                                        Time of ripening    Very early to Early                                       Ratio of length/maximum width                                                                     As long as broad                                          Primary Fruit.sup.a Bi-conical or                                                                 Cylindrical                                               Length              48-50 mm                                                  Width               35-37 mm                                                  Secondary Fruit     Bi-conical or                                                                 Cylindrical                                               Length              39-42 mm                                                  Width               30-31 mm                                                  Tertiary Fruit      Bi-conical or                                                                 Cylindrical                                               Length              33-37 mm                                                  Width               23-26 mm                                                  Size                Large                                                     Band without achenes                                                                              Very narrow to Narrow                                     Unevenness of surface                                                                             Weak                                                      Color               Red                                                       Evenness of color   Slightly Uneven                                           Glossiness          Medium                                                    Insertion of achenes                                                                              Below surface                                             Insertion of calyx  Level with surface                                        Pose of calyx segments                                                                            Clasping                                                  Size of calyx in relation                                                                         Larger                                                    to fruit diameter                                                             Adherance of calyx  Strong                                                    Firmness            Firm                                                      Color of Flesh      Light red                                                 Evenness of flesh color                                                                           Even                                                      Sweetness.sup.b     Strong                                                    Color               43 AB circa (RHSCC)                                       Taste.sup.b         Good                                                      ______________________________________                                         .sup.a There is a marked difference between the shape of the primary,         secondary and tertiary fruit.                                                 .sup.b See Table 4.                                                      

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARATIVE YIELD OF "SMARDAR".sup.a                                                 Nov.  Dec.    Jan.    Feb.  Mar.  Apr.                                 ______________________________________                                        Smadar   50      70      100   100   100    50                                Sharon.sup.b                                                                           40      60      80     80    80    80                                Shalom.sup.c                                                                           50      70      80    100   100    70                                Dorit.sup.d                                                                            30      70      100   100   100   100                                Saaid.sup.e                                                                             0      70      100   100   100   100                                Douglas.sup.f                                                                           0       0      40    150   150   150                                Chandler.sup.g                                                                          0       0      30    150   150   120                                ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Average yeild in g/m.sup.2 in Ramat Hadar, Israel (1989-90). The       time of ripening for "Smadar" fruit is very early to early.                   .sup.b U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,969. The time of ripening for         "Sharon" fruit is very early.                                                 .sup.c U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,695. The time of ripening for         "Shalom" fruit is early.                                                      .sup.d U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,968. The time of ripening for         "Dorit" fruit is early.                                                       .sup.e U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,970. The time of ripening for         "Saaid" fruit is early to medium.                                             .sup.f Plant Patent No. 4,487. The time of ripening for "Douglas" fruit i     late.                                                                         .sup.g Plant Patent No. 5,262. The time of ripening for "Chandler" fruit      is late.                                                                 

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARATIVE FRUIT                                                             CHARACTERISTICS OF "SMADAR"                                                           T.S.S..sup.a                                                                          Acidity.sup.b                                                         in %    in %     Aroma     Taste                                      ______________________________________                                        Smadar    8.5-9.5   1.0      5       Good                                     Sharon.sup.c                                                                            6.5-7.0   1.0      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   Shalom.sup.d                                                                            8.0-9.0   1.0      4       Normal                                   Dorit.sup.e                                                                             8.5-9.5   1.0      5       Good                                     Saaid.sup.f                                                                             8.0-9.0   1.0      3       Normal                                   Douglas.sup.g                                                                           6.5-7.0   0.8      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   Chandler.sup.h                                                                          6.5-7.0   0.8      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Total Soluble Solids expresses fruit sweetness and was determined      with a refractometer.                                                         .sup.b Percent of acidity was determined as follows: 2 cc of juice extrac     was mixed with 20 cc of water. Five drops of fenolfthaleinen was added an     the mixture was titrated with NaOH. The percent acidity is calculated as      the quantity of NaOH (cc) × 0.32.                                       .sup.c U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,969.                                  .sup.d U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,695.                                  .sup.e U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,968.                                  .sup.f U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,970.                                  .sup.g Plant Patent No. 4,487.                                                .sup.h Plant Patent No. 5,262.                                           

What is claimed is:
 1. A new distinct variety of strawberrysubstantially as illustrated and described and distinguished as beingable to grow in September and produce fruit starting in November andlasting until summer, with fruit having a good taste and shape and along shelf life.